Columbus, NC · standard
ZIP Code 28722
Polk County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 6,371
- 54/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $67,760
- Median income Near-median income area
- $307,300
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 36.7%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Columbus pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 43rd pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 32%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 54
- people per sq mi
- 69%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28722 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 28722 (Columbus, NC) rose +15.1% from 2023 to 2024.
ZIP code 28722 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Columbus, Polk County, North Carolina, home to 6,371 residents across 118.0 square miles, a density of 54 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 28722 reports a modest median household income of $67,760 (2% below the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $40,814. The poverty rate is 12.4%, with unemployment at 2.2%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $307,300 (18% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while 69.4% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,863.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 36.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 55.3, and the average commute is 24 minutes. The page also surfaces 6 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 3 more in Polk County, so 28722 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 28722
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Columbus, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28722.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
33 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
27 establishments
- Construction
Construction
22 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
21 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
19 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 28722, Columbus, NC · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
6,371
Population
118.0
Area (sq mi)
54
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 28722?
55.3
Median Age
47.3%
Male
52.7%
Female
3.1%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$67,760
Median Household Income
-2% vs state ZIP avg
$40,814
Per Capita Income
12.4%
Poverty Rate
2.2%
Unemployment Rate
24.0 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 28722 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Columbus, NC household income vs. every North Carolina ZIP code
Median household income among 749 reporting North Carolina ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$67,760 Top 43% higher than 57% of 749 North Carolina ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more North Carolina ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
3,224housing units
3,224
Total Housing Units
2,759
Occupied Units
465
Vacant Units
2.14
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$307,300
Median Home Value
+18% vs state ZIP avg
$1,863
Median Rent
1987
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 195 business establishments in ZIP 28722, employing approximately 2,048 people with a combined annual payroll of $79,612,000.
195
Businesses
2,048
Employees
$79.6M
Annual Payroll
14
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 33 | 16.9% |
| Retail trade | 27 | 13.8% |
| Construction | 22 | 11.3% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 21 | 10.8% |
| Accommodation and food services | 19 | 9.7% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 17 | 8.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 15 | 7.7% |
| Finance and insurance | 9 | 4.6% |
| Manufacturing | 8 | 4.1% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 7 | 3.6% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 5 | 2.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 4 | 2.0% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 3 | 1.5% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3 | 1.5% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 28722 vs 28782 →
ZIP 28722 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28139
Rutherfordton (28139)
20,111 residents
- 29322
Campobello (29322)
8,781 residents
- 29356
Landrum (29356)
8,074 residents
- 28782 6,584
Tryon (28782)
6,584 residents
- 28722 6,371
Columbus (28722)
6,371 residents
- 28756 4,504
Mill Spring (28756)
4,504 residents
- 29338 85
Fingerville (29338)
85 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28722 ranks #5 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 28722 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 28782
Tryon (28782)
$72,946 median income
- 29322
Campobello (29322)
$69,656 median income
- 28722
Columbus (28722)
$67,760 median income
- 29356
Landrum (29356)
$64,514 median income
- 28756
Mill Spring (28756)
$63,663 median income
- 28139
Rutherfordton (28139)
$56,558 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 28722 ranks #3 of 6 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 28722, both outside NC so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (6,371 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Polk County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 28722 in?
ZIP code 28722 (Columbus) is located in Polk County, North Carolina. Polk County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/polk-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28722?
ZIP code 28722 in Columbus, NC has a population of 6,371 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28722?
The median household income in ZIP 28722 is $67,760, which is 11% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28722?
The median home value in ZIP 28722 is $307,300, which is 10% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28722?
The largest racial group in ZIP 28722 is White at 91.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28722?
ZIP code 28722 has 195 business establishments employing approximately 2,048 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28722?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28722 are: Health care and social assistance (33), Retail trade (27), Construction (22). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 28722?
In ZIP code 28722, 65.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 36.7% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 28722?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28722 is 24.0 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 28722?
In ZIP code 28722, approximately 69.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 30.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28722?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28722 is 12.4% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 28722's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 28722 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Columbus, NC ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.